The Family Pet
by Reina Grayson
Summary: It's Meygan's 24th Birthday and while the adults set up for a part, Delta squad takes a trip and finds something. What's going to happen when the adults find out what Delta Squad is hiding.


Dick and Areina had taken Delta squad to the other side of Blüdhaven to a wonderful playground while some of the parents got ready for Meygan's 24th birthday party. While the kids played, Rodney Duncan and Reiena Grayson were drawn from the play area and the two parents didn't notice.

"Where are we going?" Reiena asked as Rodney led the way.

"Right here." Rodney said as he and Reiena found a white rose bush and Rodney plucked a rose and put it in Reiena's hair.

She blushed as he had the flower in her head.

Suddenly a sound drew their attention.

Rodney looked around and found a bush shaking near them.

"Be careful." Reiena said as she didn't know what would be in the bush.

He edged toward the shaking bush.

"baaaaaaaaaaaaaa." a sound came from the bush, and a small, three week old billy goat leaped from the bush and munched on the grass before them. Its tiny horns barely poked through its head and its brown fur had a patch of white on the underside of the tail.

"It's so cute...we have to get the others over here." Reiena said with a smile.

"Um...any ideas?" Rodney asked.

"Wes' telepathy."

"Oh yeah."

 _"Wes...can you hear me?"_ Reiena asked inside her mind.

 _"Yeah...what's up?"_

 _"You guys HAVE to get over here, there's a baby goat."_

 _"Really?! Sway! We're coming!"_

 _"Be careful of dad and Ari."_ Reiena told her uncle in law.

 _"Right."_

It took a bit but everyone got to Reiena and Rodney.

"Wait-what happened to Dad and Ari?" Reiena asked.

"They're sleeping." Wes said as they all watched the goat.

"It's cute!" Rini said softly.

"Wes, did you do what your mom told you NOT to?" Rodney asked.

"It'll only last 10 minutes." he admitted.

"You better hope Aunt M'gann doesn't find out." Little Bruce said.

"Who cares, this is cool." Little Jason remarked as the goat came up to him. "Um...nice goat?" Jason said.

"Baaaaaaaaaaa!" said the goat.

The baby goat then nuzzled Jason.

"Awwww." the girls said cutely.

"Where is it from?" Bruce asked.

Wes tried using his power on the goat to get an idea.

"Can we keep it? Can we keep it?" Iesha asked frantically.

"This goat got left behind. The owner moved his farm to a bigger area of outer Blüdhaven...and this little guy was sleeping under some hay, the farmer didn't see him."

"Let's take him home." Reilie declared. She hugged the baby goat carefully.

"Baaaaaaa." The goat said and it sounded happy.

"Where do we hide him?" Marik asked.

"At my house. My parents won't be home until later." Rodney told the group.

"Okay, better question...how do we GET him there." Jason asked

"Then you take him home now." Wesley told him.

"Boom tube." Rodney uses his own box to open the tube. "Let's go." Rodney tried to lead the goat inside but he was stubborn.

"Baaaaaaaaaaaa!" said the goat.

"C'mon goat! We gotta go!" Rodney said pushing on the baby calf.

The billy goat wouldn't move.

Wes went back into its mind and after a minute, it was walking.

Rodney guided the goat through.

"We need to get back." Wesley then took off back to the playground.

The others ran after him.

When they got back, Dick yawned as Areina starts to wake up.

"I can't believe we fell asleep, Uncle Dick." Areina said.

"Me either," he said. He looked around. "Where's Rodney?"

"He's the last one I'm looking for." Wes said.

"Oh playing hide and seek, I bet he's good if he's using his size power."

"He is." Reiena said innocently.

"Sweetie, where did that rose come from?" Dick asked as he saw the white rose in her dark hair.

"I found it."

Areina smirked. "Rodney gave it do you, didn't he?"

Reiena blushed.

Dick sighed heavily.

"Come on Uncle Dick, I'm sure that Molly and Andrew did this when they were growing up."

"I'm getting too old."

Areina busted out laughing then caught her breath. "Maybe on the inside." She said with a smile.

"Rodney! We give!" Wesley called out loud but mentally called him.

A tube opened up quietly behind a tree and Rodney came out. "I won!" He said cheerfully.

Something wasn't sitting right with the first gen and second gen heroes.

"Let's head home," Dick said, his suspicions unspoken.

 _"Rodney, is the baby hidden well?"_ Wes mentally asked.

 _"Yeah. My backyard. My parents are still out."_

 _"Good, we'll figure out something better when we get home."_ Wes said.

Dick opened his own tube, and they all went home.

Grayson Property

Once all the kids were home...with Rodney staying with Dick and Serenity while Karan and Mal were still out, they all snuck out and went to check Rodney's backyard and see if the goat was okay.

The goat was eating the grass happily and the kids ran to it.

"We need to name it."

"Barry Barry Barry." Iesha said with her speed kicking in...again.

"That's good enough," Jason said. "Barry it is."

"Why Barry?" Rodney asked.

"It's my great uncle's name."

Barry the Goat nudged Jason's leg.

"He likes you." Rini quietly said.

"Great."

"How are we going to explain a goat to our parents?" Bruce asked.

No one had an answer.

"Until we figure it out, we keep Barry hidden." Wes said; using his leadership training.

"Ok." the kids agreed.

BBBBBBBBBBBB

Later that day

The party had just started, when Serenity started to notice that some of the hay bales were starting to have bites in them...not only that, but some of the fruit around them was missing.

"Dick, honey, did you do anything to the hay bales and fruit?" Serenity called out as she looked at the two closest to the grassy area.

"No...I've learned NOT to mess with anything you fix for a party."

Serenity noticed the few strands of hay leading away from the grassy area and decided to follow.

Wes saw his aunt walking around, and knew something was wrong. _"Guys, we have a problem...I think Barry got out of Rodney's yard."_ He mentally told his generation.

Meanwhile, Meygan sat in the lounge chair in a purple one piece swimsuit with a short white sarong tied around her waist. She rubbed her stomach as Kevin rushed over to her with a cup of french vanilla cocoa.

"Here, this should help." Kevin told her.

"Thanks, I just wish you guys wouldn't fuss over my birthday, so I'm 24, it doesn't matter."

"Every single one is important." Kevin corrected her.

She made a face. "I want French vanilla ice cream!" Meygan cried but sipped the cocoa.

Kevin sighed.

Meygan's eyes lit up. "Wait, this works-for now. Keep them coming!"

Meanwhile, the kids went to discreetly look for the goat.

 _"How did he get out?"_ Jason asked.

 _"Maybe he ate the fence?"_ Iesha suggested.

 _"It's thick, how could he have."_ Rodney said.

 _"I think I found hoof prints."_ Bruce told the group.

 _"We have to find him before grandma, or we're in trouble."_ Rini said.

While the kids searched for their pet, Kevin gave Meygan her 3rd mug.

Terry laughed as Kevin looked like he was bewildered by Meygan's demands. "Wow! Meygan's really hungry!"

"Happens with all pregnant women...believe me." Areina said.

"Wait until I'm pregnant." Dana reminded him. "I'll MAKE you get me pickles and rocky road ice cream while you chase the bad guys around town."

Areina busted out laughing and almost fell over because she couldn't keep her balance.

Orin caught her as the others laughed.

Terry looked as if he swallowed a canary.

"Areina, what was the craziest thing you wanted when you were pregnant with the twins?" Dana asked as she caught her breath.

"I'd have to say a peanut butter and cheese sandwich." Areina answered after she was 'stabilized'.

"Yuck!" Bart cried, making a face.

"Says one of the speedsters that would eat anything. It's actually not bad, I still eat them. "

Everyone looked at Areina oddly.

"What? The sweetness of the peanut butter with the tang of the American cheese...it's a good combination."

The others shook their heads.

Young Bruce followed the tracks as they circled all around the party's edge and saw the goat eating an apple from the tree in Iesha's back yard. _"He's at Iesha's! Move it!"_ Bruce cried.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE." A voice said, and little Bruce KNEW he was in trouble.

Bruce turned around and saw his Aunt Serenity standing there. "What's wrong?"

"Bruce...do you know what's eating the hay and fruit?"

"No." Bruce didn't make eye contact with his aunt...so she KNEW he knew something. "Alright, where is it?"

"Where's what?" Bruce asked.

"Bruce..." Serenity tapped her foot on the ground, her arms folded and her staring at the young boy.

Bruce sighed, he knew he was beat. "Okay...it's in Iesha's yard."

Serenity escorted Bruce to Iesha's back yard.

As Serenity and Bruce arrived at Iesha's house, they saw Delta squad trying to trap something in a corner of the fence.

"Rodney, get him!" Reilie cried.

"Just let him run to Jason, Barry likes him..." Rodney said as he missed catching...whatever it was.

"Nice baby goat..." Jason coaxed. "Come to me..."

"His name is Barry." Iesha cried out.

Serenity cleared her throat.

The kids all looked over and saw Serenity there, with Bruce.

"Oh oh..."the kids chimed at once.

"Where did this goat come from?" Serenity asked; her voice VERY stern.

"He was all alone, Grandma." Rini said quietly.

"Oh really?"

"It's true; he was left behind when the farmer he lived with moved." Wes added.

The kids nodded.

"When did you find him...and where?" Serenity asked, wanting to make sure.

"At the park when Daddy and Ari took us...his farm wasn't far from it." Reiena told her mother.

Serenity sighed. The kids were already attached to the baby goat.

"Barry likes Jason the most." Bruce said.

Serenity shook her head, her eyes going soft. "We need to find his owner, kids."

The kids looked ready to cry.

"Whoa! A baby goat!" Mathen exclaimed as he came up behind his mother.

"Mommy wants to return him...but he was all alone when we found him." Marik said.

"Well, we need to find his owner." Mathen said delicately.

The goat decided to lick Jason's face.

Reiena was now crying...even her big brother wanted to get rid of it.

"Sis...he's a baby. You all can't look after him."

That was when everyone else came into Iesha's backyard.

"My apple tree!" Artemis cried.

"Cool! A goat!" Wally cried.

"That goat ate my apples!" Artemis yelled.

"So, more will grow." Wally said.

Marik didn't want to see his Aunt Artemis upset, so he walked over and touched the tree, causing more apples to grow.

Everyone looked at him, shocked.

"Oh my...Marik did you make my tree grow too?" Artemis asked.

"Yeah," he admitted shyly.

It was then that Kevin flew over to the yard carrying Meygan and they were surprised as well by the goat's presences.

Artemis couldn't be mad after Marik fixed her apple tree.

"Mbaahhh!" said the goat.

"Can we keep him?" Iesha asked.

"We promise to feed him and love him!" Rodney added.

"He likes Jason...but I guess someone has to." Bruce said.

"Hey!" Jason cried, pouting.

Bruce just smiled as he looked at his brother.

"Boys, why did you think it was a good idea to bring him here?" Areina asked as she picked up her little fire controller.

"Because he needed a friend?" Jason said.

"How about he stays for the night and then we try to get him home in the morning, ok?" Kevin suggested.

The kids were really upset that they were going to lose Barry.

Then a slight snore interrupted the quiet.

Kevin looked down at his wife. She was sleeping.

"Wow, she can't even stay up for her own party." Mathen joked.

"Will everything be alright till she wakes up?" Orin'ahm asked Serenity.

"Of course. Let her sleep."

"Can we play with Barry for a while?" Kara asked.

"Sure." Wally told them.

Kevin flew his wife over to her parents' house while the kids petted him.

"Who named the goat?" Artemis asked Delta Squad.

"MEMEMEME!" Iesha happily said.

Artemis shook her head.

"Ie said it was to honor her great uncle." Wes added.

Wally had tears in his eyes at that statement.

Barry the goat then ran for the bale of hay. He started to eat it.

"Barry, you just ate!" Kara cried.

"Baaaaaaaaaa!" was the goat's answer.

"Goats have a healthy appetite." Serenity told Kara. "I guess you could say his name suits him since he seems to have a speedster's metabolism…..well not THAT bad but they still eat a lot."

"HEY." All the speedsters cried out.

Kevin then returned and he seemed worried. "Rini...can you talk to Kal yet?" he asked.

"No."

"I tried to, Daddy. I can't either." Reilie added.

"Wes?" Kevin asked his little brother.

"No."

"Kara?"

"Nope."

"Kevin, what's wrong?" M'gann asked.

"I think Kal is more Kryptonian than Martian."

"It was bound to happen." Areina said without thinking.

"Call your uncle," Conner suggested. "He might know how to find out."

"Molly, is there a medical way to check?" Kevin asked.

"Yes, an amniocentesis, Meygan's far enough along that I can check."

"We might need Clark too. If Kal **is** more Kryptonian, then Meygan will need to know what to do," Conner said. "He was a huge help **with** you, son. He'll be a big help **to** you now."

"How about after Meygan's party...I mean today IS her day." Mathen asked.

"She's sleeping."

"It can wait till morning." Molly added.

"Mommy, is everything okay with MeyMey?" Bruce asked Areina.

Mathen looked back at his parents' house. "I'll go check on her." He went to his parents' house.

"Of course, Bruce. It's just...this is her first son and he's being...odd." Areina tried to explain.

"So he's going to be hardheaded like Uncle Kevin?" Jason questioned.

"Hey now." Kevin protested.

"I've heard it about ALL Kryptonians, Uncle Jason says it."

"Uncle Jason's about to get a visit." Kevin fumed.

"No, actually, it's the truth; I mean you know the stories of how Clark was when I was first saved from Cadmus...Kryptonians have VERY hard heads." Conner said with a laugh in his voice at the memory of when Bruce said that.

Meygan slept peacefully on her parents' couch.

But she didn't know that she was being watched.

Zacharius was in a ghostly form, glaring with rage at the young lady.

He wanted to burn her where she slept, but didn't want to alert anyone to his presence.

"I know you're there." Came Mathen's voice as he blocked his sister from Zach's view with his body. His arms were folded, standing proudly and defiantly before the dark Omni wizard.

Zach showed himself. "So...you throw your life away for her." he taunted.

"She did no less for me."

"Ah yes, when she died at age seven...Raven shouldn't have save her, she was better off dead."

"She died because she was far braver than me," Mathen countered. "If you want her, you'll have to go through me."

"Very well, if you wish to take her rightful place in HELL..."

Mathen smiled. "Taeh ruoy fo thgim eht wohs, sevaw ni wolf, eriF fo rewoP!"

Waves of fire and flames snatched Zacharius up and tossed him out of the house, trapping him in the continuous wave out the front door.

Zach was released and those waves of flames barricaded the door.

"That will teach you to mess with my sister." Mathen remarked lowly.

Serenity threw a tornado at Zach, rolling him up then down then up again as he was slammed into the ground.

Zach got to his knees and saw the heroes rush at him. He then took off vanishing in a flame.

"Coward!" Serenity screamed at the top of her lungs.

Meygan was lifted up into Mathen's arms. She opened her eyes. "Mathen? Why is it warm in here?"

"I'll get you outside." Mathen assured her.

Serenity rushed to her door but the flames quickly dissipated and Mathen came outside. "Mathen?! Meygan!"

"We're fine, Mom. Meyg slept through it. She's warm though."

Mathen stood as a strong natural wind came from the beach and Meygan sighed as she cooled down.

Barry the Goat then got tired after eating the bale of hay and plopped down at Mathen's feet, going to sleep.

"Um...why is the goat near me?" Mathen asked.

Kara giggled. "I told him to."

"Kara..." Conner said sternly.

"I said we'd go find the goat's owner later...THEN we'll see." Serenity stated

"Just let the goat sleep. Step away from it Mathen and let Kevin take me. You all party. I want my husband." Meygan declared.

Kevin blushed as he took his wife from her brother. "Um...what about your party?"

"Screw the party. I want to cuddle…now."

"But Meymey, today's your day." Rodney said.

"It's fine. I'm still tired."

Laughter followed Kevin as he flew them to their house.

"Yay! More cake for me!" cried Iesha.

The Next Day

Today was a sad one...for Delta Squad anyway. The party last night was fun, and Barry the goat was happy to be around the kids. Today however, they had to find the farmer that had left Barry behind and Richie Foley was happy to help with that search. It didn't take him long for find the address and so Serenity and Dick along with Delta Squad headed for the new farm with Barry following little Jason.

The farmer had 10 acres of green, lush grass and many animals grazed the grass.

"Wow." Delta Squad said.

"These animals are nice, but I miss Kiko." Rini said, thinking about the baby tiger she adopted.

The kids were sad as Dick and Serenity went to locate the farmer.

"Me too." Reilie added.

"You like Trinity don't you." Rini asked her little sister.

"Of course, but Kiko is fun."

"Her parents are fun too, and protective."

The couple came to the kids with the farmer in tow.

Barry the Goat stayed by Jason.

"I was wondering where this little guy got off to; I searched the whole farm for him, but had to leave without him." The farmer said.

"He likes us." Iesha spoke up.

"Rodney and I found him...he was all alone near the playground." Reiena added.

"I see. I can tell he's been looked after. I hadn't given him a name yet." the farmer admitted.

"It's Barry." Jason said.

"That's a good name for him. Ok Barry, time to go to your parents." The farmer said as he opened the gate. "Y'all take him to that pond over there. That's where his parents are."

"Okay." the kids said, and sadness was present in all their voices.

Serenity and Dick guided them to the pond.

Barry saw his parents and ran to them and they rubbed each other as they showed how happy they were to be reunited.

"Mommy...isn't there any way we can keep Barry." Marik asked.

"No Marik. We are all busy sometimes."

"You kids did a good thing. Barry grew on you so y'all can come by whenever you want."

Suddenly, the three goats walked over to the kids.

The kids went to pet Barry.

"Bye Barry, we'll come see you whenever we can." Rini said.

Jason hugged Barry. "You were the best pet ever, Barry."

"So you're finally accepting him." Bruce said with a smile.

"I always did, just didn't want to show it." Jason said then blew a raspberry at his brother.

Bruce blew one back.

Barry did one too and at Bruce.

Delta laughed, and so did Dick and Serenity.

"Thanks to y'all again. Come back now, hear?"

Dick and Serenity guided the kids out of the gate and headed back for their homes.

"Jason, don't ever let your great grandfather hear about what you said. Ace helped take care of you all as you grew up." Dick said to his nephew.

"I won't."

"It was thanks to Ace that I wanted to shapeshift." Wes stated.

"Really?" Dick asked.

"It was when Bruce and Jason were a week old and Areina watched me at Older Bruce's."

"Looks like Ace had been a bigger help than we thought." Serenity said, knowing how much Areina loved that dog.

"Let's head home; you all have training in a while." Dick stated.

"Okay." Delta Squad said, and with that they headed for home.


End file.
